155 Sweet a term of friendly affection

  156 Except unless

  156 except against object to

  158 prefer promote, advance

  161 from ... kiss brush against her clothing

  163 Disdain ... flower refuse to allow the flowers to take root in it 165 braggardism bragging arrogance

  166 can i.e. can say

  167 To compared to

  167 worthies things of value

  168 alone unique

  174 dream on thee pay you much attention

  175 dote upon focus lovingly on/be infatuated with

  177 for because

  182 With ... flight along with every detail of our ingenious escape plan 183 Determined of decided on

  185 'greed agreed

  188 inquire you forth seek you out

  189 disembark unload (from the boat)

  190 necessaries personal luggage

  194 expels drives out (applying heat was thought to ease a burn) 196 remembrance memory

  197 object sight

  199 false transgression faithless sin/wrongful violation of loyalty 200 reasonless without cause

  200 to reason thus justify myself/explore matters in this way 205 zeal devotion/loyalty

  209 advice reflection

  210 without advice unadvisedly

  211 picture appearance

  213 look come to look (in the future)

  213 perfections exquisite inner qualities

  214 no reason but no doubt that

  215 check restrain/reprimand

  215 erring wandering/wrongful

  216 compass win/embrace

  Act 2 Scene 5

  1 Padua most editors emend to "Milan," assuming that Shakespeare forgot his location, but it is conceivable that Speed is winding up the travel-weary and slow-witted Lance by naming the wrong city 2 Forswear swear falsely/perjure (Lance claims that he is not welcome, but may also imply cheekily that Speed swears falsely because he does so on his honesty) 3 reckon think/add up

  3 undone ruined (puns on the notion of untying a hanged body) 5 shot payment/tavern bill

  5 hostess landlady of an inn

  10 closed in earnest embraced/agreed in a serious manner (there may also be a glance at the sense of earnest as "financial pledge," thus contributing to the banter about money) 11 fairly kindly/cordially

  16 broken fallen out (in the following line Lance plays on "in pieces") 17 as ... fish proverbial (whole puns on "hole," which, along with fish was slang for "vagina") 18 stands the matter goes the business (stands puns on "to become erect" and matter on "sexual liaison"; Lance picks up on this in the following line) 22 block blockhead

  23 understands stands beneath/supports (puns on Speed's sense of "comprehend"; the staff may be used to suggest a penis) 34 parable comparison/enigmatic speech

  35 how say'st thou what do you say to the suggestion

  36 notable noticeable/notorious

  39 lubber clumsy lout

  40 whoreson bastard (whore's son)

  40 thou mistak'st me you misunderstand me (Lance interprets "you mistake me, Speed, for my master, Valentine") 48 ale alehouse/country festival (possibly a church festival, which a Jew would not attend; alternatively Lance may be associating Jewishness with a lack of Christian charity) Act 2 Scene 6

  4 power ... oath love, which made me swear fidelity to Julia

  7 sweet-suggesting sweetly tempting/seductive

  7 if ... it if you have ever sinned/if you have sinned by making me false (to Julia), teach me how to justify it 11 Unheedful thoughtless

  11 heedfully carefully/conscientiously

  12 wants wit lacks intelligence

  13 learn teach

  14 unreverend irreverent, impudent

  14 her i.e. Julia

  15 preferred urged

  16 soul-confirming soul-strengthening (Proteus has sworn by his soul) 17 leave cease

  21 thus find I so I find myself

  22 For in exchange for

  25 fair beautiful/pale complexioned

  26 Shows Julia reveals, shows up Julia to be

  26 swarthy Ethiope dark-complexioned Ethiopian (considered unattractive) 29 hold consider

  31 constant faithful, true

  33 corded rope

  35 in counsel being in his confidence

  35 competitor associate/rival

  37 disguising ... flight deceptive intended escape

  40 cross thwart

  41 blunt stupid

  42 lend give

  43 drift scheme

  Act 2 Scene 7

  2.7 Location: Verona

  2 conjure entreat

  3 table writing tablet, notebook

  4 charactered written

  5 lesson teach

  5 mean method

  10 measure travel over

  14 forbear have patience/desist

  16 dearth famine

  18 inly inward

  22 qualify moderate

  25 current i.e. in water

  28 makes ... stones creates a pleasing sound as it babbles over the smooth stones 29 sedge rush-like plant

  32 sport entertaining activity

  32 wild open/untamed

  38 Elysium heaven

  39 habit clothing

  40 for ... men as I wish to avoid the improper advances made by lewd men 42 weeds garments

  43 beseem be appropriate for

  45 knit tie, knot

  46 odd-conceited elaborately devised

  47 fantastic imaginative, fanciful

  48 time age

  51 compass circumference

  51 farthingale hooped petticoat

  53 codpiece conspicuous attachment sewn onto the front of breeches (also implies the penis) 54 ill-favoured unsightly

  55 round hose breeches with close-fitting legs that gave a padded appearance to the upper area; usually adorned with a prominent codpiece 55 not ... pin not worth anything/not worthy of a penis

  56 stick pins on some codpieces were decorated with pins

  58 mannerly appropriate (puns on "man")

  60 unstaid immodest

  61 scandalized disgraced

  64 dream on infamy worry about getting a bad reputation

  67 withal with it

  70 instances evidence

  70 infinite infinity

  71 Warrant ... Proteus guarantee that Proteus will welcome my arrival 75 bonds binding promises

  75 oracles guaranteed truth-tellers

  76 immaculate pure

  81 hard poor

  81 truth sincerity/fidelity

  85 furnish maintain/equip

  85 longing journey journey undertaken as a result of longing 86 at thy dispose under your control

  88 in lieu thereof in exchange for which

  90 tarriance delay

  Act 3 Scene 1

  3.1 Location: Milan

  1 give us leave leave us (polite)

  8 pricks spurs

  12 privy to aware of/entrusted with

  16 vexation anger/distress

  21 timeless premature

  23 requite repay

  23 command me ask any favor of me

  26 purposed intended

  28 jealous aim suspicious guess

  31 gentle kind/friendly/courteous

  31 thereby ... me in order to try and discover the information you have just revealed to me 34 suggested tempted

  45 discovery ... at revelation that Proteus exposed Valentine's secret is not suspected 47 publisher revealer

  47 pretence intention

  49 light enlightenment, indication

  51 whither away where are you going

  56 tenor content

  59 am to break want to broach

  60 touch me near affect me significantly, are close to my heart 65 bounty generosity

  66 Beseeming befitting

  68 peevish headstrong

  68 froward obstinate

  70 regarding considering/respecting

  71 as ... were
as she should do toward

  73 advice reflection

  74 remnant ... age remainder of my days

  77 who whoever

  78 wedding-dower dowry

  79 esteems values

  82 affect love/favor

  82 nice reluctant/temperamental

  83 nought ... eloquence does not care for the love-talk of an old man 85 agone ago

  85 forgot to court forgotten how to woo

  87 bestow myself behave

  88 regarded well regarded

  90 kind nature

  91 quick lively

  94 her o'er up on her

  95 after-love the more later love greater

  97 beget produce

  99 Forwhy because

  101 For by

  102 commend praise

  102 extol their graces elaborate on their virtues

  103 Though ... black however dark-complexioned/unattractive they be 105 with his tongue through talking/flattery (plays on the idea of oral sex) 106 friends family

  109 That so that

  113 lets prevents

  115 shelving projecting

  117 quaintly skillfully

  118 anchoring hooks heavy hooks attached to the rope ladder as a means of securing it to the window 119 Hero's tower in classical myth, Leander was guided to Hero by a light in her tower 120 So provided

  121 blood rank/good family

  130 of any length reasonably long

  131 serve the turn fit the purpose

  134 such another the same

  136 fashion me adapt myself

  138 this same this one here

  139 engine ... proceeding device (the ladder) suitable for the very scheme I have been planning 141 harbour lodge/take refuge

  143 lightly freely, easily

  144 Himself i.e. Valentine

  144 senseless unconscious

  144 lying reposing/dwelling

  145 herald messenger

  145 them themselves

  146 thither them importune urge them to go there

  147 grace ... grace good fortune that with such honor

  148 want lack

  148 servants' i.e. thoughts'

  152 enfranchise liberate

  154 Phaeton ... son in Greek mythology Phaeton was the son of the sun god Helios and Clymene (wife of Merops); he drove Helios' sun chariot (heavenly car), but could not control it, burned part of the earth and was killed with a thunderbolt hurled by Zeus 158 overweening slave arrogant rogue

  159 equal mates women of your own worth/social status

  160 And ... hence know that it is my patience, rather than any merit of your own that is responsible for permitting you to leave 165 expedition departure

  176 by nearby

  178 shadow image

  179 Except unless

  183 leave to be cease to exist

  184 influence power/substance thought to emanate from stars that influenced human fate 185 Fostered nurtured

  185 illumined lit up

  186 I ... doom I am not really escaping death in fleeing the duke's sentence (doom) 187 attend on wait for/serve

  190 So-ho a hunting cry

  192 hair puns on "hare"

  193 a Valentine a true lover/token of love (Valentine is a lover right down to his very hairs) 196 spirit ghost

  203 Villain rogue

  204 I'll strike nothing I won't hit anything/if I hit a spirit I will be striking nothing as it has no body 206 stopped blocked

  208 mine i.e. my news

  212 No Valentine no longer able to be a lover/no longer myself (as existence was dependent on Silvia's presence) 213 forsworn rejected

  217 vanished malapropism for "banished"

  221 surfeit be ill from overeating

  223 doom ... force the sentence of banishment which, as long as it is not reversed, stands in full force 226 tendered made an offering of

  228 became suited

  229 waxed grew

  232 sire father

  234 intercession prayer on someone else's behalf

  234 chafed enraged

  235 thy repeal the reversal of your sentence/your return 235 suppliant petitioner

  236 close secure/secluded

  237 biding (her) remaining

  239 malignant evil/harmful/infectious

  241 As ... dolour so that it might be a funeral hymn to my infinite sorrow 243 study think about

  246 abridge shorten

  248 manage handle, wield

  251 thy love i.e. Silvia

  252 expostulate discuss/expound

  254 confer at large discuss in full

  256 though ... thyself even if not for your own sake

  257 Regard pay heed to

  258 my boy i.e. Speed

  263 all ... knave doesn't matter as long as he is a knave in one thing only 264 He ... that not a man alive

  265 horse horses

  268 maid virgin

  268 gossips godparents (i.e. she has had a child)

  268 maid servant

  269 serves provides domestic service/has sex

  270 qualities accomplishments

  270 water-spaniel submissive dog

  271 bare mere/naked (i.e. not hairy like a dog)

  271 cate-log ... condition catalogue (list) of her attributes 272 Imprimis "in the first place" (Latin)

  273 fetch respond to an instruction to fetch something

  274 jade worthless old horse/loose woman

  274 Item Latin term for "next" (in a list)

  274 milk milk a cow/drain one of money/suckle a baby/cause ejaculation (clean hands may continue the idea of masturbation) 279 vice bad habit/comic character in morality plays known for his puns 285 jolt-head blockhead

  287 try test

  287 begot conceived

  291 in on

  292 Saint Nicholas patron saint of scholars

  292 speed protector (puns on Speed's name)

  298 sew stitch (Lance interprets "sow seed" and is therefore surprised that a woman can do so) 301 stock dowry

  302 knit ... stock knit him a stocking/conceive stupid offspring for him 304 washed and scoured cleaned and scrubbed/beaten

  306 spin spin wool/have sex

  307 set ... wheels have an easy life (wheels plays on "spinning-wheels") 309 nameless virtues inexpressible qualities

  310 bastard virtues illegitimate children

  314 in respect of because of

  318 sweet mouth sweet tooth/lecherous mouth

  321 sleep puns on "slip" (to commit an error/lapse sexually) 326 proud haughty/high-spirited/lecherous

  327 Eve's legacy the result of Eve's greedy desire in the Garden of Eden 329 no teeth possibly a result of having a sweet mouth, though teeth could also fall out after treatment for syphilis 331 curst bad-tempered (plays on crust) 333 praise taste (in the following line Lance has understood "speak highly of") 336 liberal unrestrained in her manner/free with her sexual favors 337 cannot cannot be

  339 another thing i.e. her vagina (plays on purse which had the same slang meaning) 344 Rehearse repeat

  347 prove i.e. with a verbal demonstration of logic 348 cover ... salt lid of a large salt cellar (salt may pun on both "wit" and "lechery") 348 more than greater than in that it entirely conceals the salt 352 monstrous outrageous/unnatural

  352 out wrong/not on the list

  354 gracious acceptable

  365 Pox of a plague on

  367 swinged beaten

  368 unmannerly ill-mannered

  368 I'll ... correction I'll follow so that I can enjoy seeing his punishment (for being late) Act 3 Scene 2

  4 railed ranted abusively

  5 That so that

  6 impress impression, imprint

  6 figure shape

  7 Trenched cut, engraved

  14 grievously sorrowfully

  17 conceit opinion

  18 desert worth, deserving

  19 the better more inclined

  22 effect bring about

  32 descent
social status

  35 deliver speak

  36 circumstance detailed evidence

  39 loath very reluctant

  41 very true

  45 friend i.e. the duke

  47 aught ... dispraise anything that I can say to damage his character 49 weed root out

  52 ravel get tangled up

  53 provide prepare

  53 bottom wind into a ball (Silvia's love is being imaged as thread being unwound from Valentine and wound around Turio) 56 kind business

  60 warrant authorization

  62 lumpish dull/despondent

  62 heavy gloomy

  64 temper mold

  67 sharp ardent, keen

  68 lime birdlime, a sticky substance spread on branches to catch birds 68 tangle entangle, trap

  69 wailful sonnets lamenting, wistful love poems

  69 composed carefully constructed

  70 full-fraught ... vows entirely filled with vows of service 71 heaven-bred poesy poetry inspired by heaven

  75 frame compose

  76 discover reveal

  76 integrity absolute devotion/total sincerity

  77 Orpheus in Greek legend, a musician so skillful that his music could even charm animals, rocks, and trees 77 sinews tendons

  79 leviathans sea monsters

  80 Forsake unsounded deeps abandon the unfathomed parts of the sea 81 dire-lamenting deeply sorrowing

  81 elegies mournful love poems

  83 consort group of musicians

  84 Tune sing

  84 deploring doleful

  84 dump sorrowful melody

  86 inherit gain possession of

  87 discipline learning/teaching

  91 sort select

  93 give ... to bring about the initiation of

  94 About it on with the business

  97 pardon you i.e. from having to wait upon me Act 4 Scene 1

  4.1 Location: wilderness/forest

  1 passenger traveler

  3 Stand stop (sit in the following line plays on the sense of "remain standing") 4 rifle rob

  10 proper fine-looking

  12 crossed with thwarted by

  13 habiliments clothes

  14 disfurnish deprive

  15 sum and substance everything

  20 sojourned stayed

  22 crooked malign, devious

  29 false vantage unfair advantage

  32 held ... doom was pleased to get such a (reasonable) sentence 33 Have ... tongues? Can you speak any foreign languages?

  34 happy fortunate/accomplished

  36 fat friar i.e. Friar Tuck, a member of Robin Hood's band of outlaws 37 were would be (a good)

  37 faction group

  42 anything ... to any resources

  45 ungoverned uncontrolled, reckless, violent

  46 awful worthy of respect (or possibly a printer's error for "lawful") 48 practising plotting

  49 niece kinswoman (phrase sometimes emended to "An heir, and near allied") 50 Mantua northern Italian dukedom

  51 mood rage

  53 cite acknowledge/mention

  54 hold excused explain/justify

  56 shape appearance/figure

  58 quality profession

  60 above the rest for this reason above all

  60 parley talk/negotiate

  64 consort company/group

  66 do thee homage perform acts of allegiance/acknowledge your superiority 71 outrages acts of violence

  72 silly defenseless

  74 crews gang

  76 dispose disposal